Brevity is the goal of this task, although “brief” can mean five words or five-hundred words. You might write a fifty-word story, as writer Vincent Mars publishes on his blog, Boy in the Hat. Or you might tell your tale in precisely one-hundred words, like the folks at 100 Word Story — an approach that forces you to question every word.

For writers who tend to write more, a longer word count may be considered concise, too. At Brevity, writers publish nonfiction of seven-hundred-fifty words or less: there is space to develop a piece, yet a focus on succinctness.

Thanks for the encouragement! I wish you the best of luck on your writing journey, and I will follow your progress. I also recently found myself dissatisfied enough with my career to walk away from it.

It was a love poem to a lost love that ripped my heart out. It was penciled with humble regret on the back of a paper bag and signed by Homeless Hattie. I wanted to give it back but I didn’t know where she lived.

I’m hoping this doesn’t require you to be part of a class to participate, this was a great writing challenge. Here is mine, 50 words exactly.
—
I reached out and snatched the folded paper from the sidewalk. It read “Please send help. I’ve been kidnapped. His name is Mister Carmichael. He works at my school.”

I glanced at the locked door behind me before shoving the crumpled note in my pocket. Time to go to school.
—
-JK